Family Brings to Light the Dangers of Popcorn After Toddler Dies From Choking on a Kernel

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, choking is one of the leading causes of death for children under the age of three. The biggest culprits? Hot dogs, grapes and popcorn — all of which, says the AAP, should never be consumed before a child's fifth birthday.

But Mirranda Grace Lawson was just two when, on her mother's birthday, she burst into the living room, her eyes bulging. Her parents' panicked — their little girl couldn't breathe. A popcorn kernel was lodged deep in Mirranda's throat, blocking her airway. Her father, Patrick Lawson began CPR but when paramedics arrived, her heart had stopped.

Go Fund Me / Mirranda Grace Lawson

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But there was a glimmer of hope, if just for a moment. Doctors at VCU Medical Center were able to resuscitate Mirranda, but informed her parents that their youngest of four children had suffered severe, irreparable brain damage. Later, after two months on a ventilator with little improvement, doctors wanted to perform a brain death test — which involved removing the vent to see if Mirranda could breathe on her own before quickly replacing it — but her parents refused and sued the hospital, setting a grueling court case into motion. "She's not acting like someone who is brain dead," her father told NBC News.

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Before the case could be settled, Mirranda deteriorated, and, after her kidneys failed, she passed away on November 1. Her GoFundMe page, started by one of her relatives, reiterated the dangers of small children ingesting harmful foods: "This was all caused by a piece of popcorn," the page reads. "Please share the danger of popcorn, someone may not know." The AAP confirms that toddlers' little mouths and developing chewing skills simply can't yet handle certain shapes. They can't sufficiently grind down food — when they swallow, un-chewed bits can become lodged and restrict the airway.

Tragically, Mirranda Grace Lawson isn't the first child to choke on a piece of popcorn — but with greater awareness, she can be the last. To minimize choking hazards in your own child's environment, follow the Mayo Clinic's guidelines:

Properly time the introduction of solid foods. Reach out to childcare professionals for the appropriate ages to introduce certain foods.